Kerry Slater

RocketSkates

Acton RocketSkates are smart motorized skates that fit right over your shoes. Once they’ve been powered on, simply push off and the motors will take over to propel you forward. For accelerating, lean forward and for braking or stopping, put your heel down. This means that the rider has complete control over the motor without the hassle of a remote. With an app and Bluetooth connection, the skater can track their route and mileage as well as the progress of other Acton RocketSkaters in the area.

Toonimo, a startup that says it can make websites more engaging and lucrative by adding custom animations, is announcing that it has raised $2.5 million in funding.

The idea is that online visitors might appreciate having a cartoon character who can point out the important parts of a website and walk them through some of the trickier bits — and that, in turn, can lead to increased sales. For example, when you visit the Toonimo site, animated characters lead you down the page and explain the concept behind the company, in the hopes that you’ll sign up for a free trial.

Crowdfunding campaigns, when run well, can seem effortless, almost magical, if you’re watching from afar. Seeing the money and backers pile up, especially in the last phase of a campaign, can be breathtaking, when everyone is hugging and high-fiving.

However, crowdfunding is not a walk in the park. Unless that park is covered with broken glass. And a lion ate your shoes at the entrance gate. And he is now chasing you.

There is anxiety, especially during that famous mid-campaign plateau. There are sleepless nights, when instead of counting fluffy sheep you’re counting all of your Facebook friends who haven’t contributed yet. And don’t forget about the obsessive-compulsive “refreshing” of your campaign page to see if there are any new backers. Yes, crowdfunding can be stressful, but if you do the proper prep work — and create the right relationships on social media — crowdfunding can be full of great joy and excitement.

Below are some important tips before kicking off your crowdfunding campiagn.

Equity crowdfunding platform SeedInvest just completed its Series A round of funding by reaching out to investors through its own platform.

To build a startup, you’ve got to believe in your mission. Big time. That’s why the co-founder of apartment-rental site Airbnb never stays in hotels. And that’s why the SeedInvest team raised its first round of funding through equity crowdfunding.

The Virgin Group founder invests in the crowdfunding startup. "I certainly would have tried" Indiegogo, he told CNET in a recent interview.

Richard Branson is a very big businessman: founder of the Virgin music company, Virgin Airlines, Virgin Galactic, and other parts of the Virgin Group. But with an investment this week in Indiegogo, he took an interest in the smallest of entrepreneurs.